The Modern Outlook on Life Expectancy with MS
Let’s address the main question directly. Thanks to significant advances in treatment and disease management, the outlook for people with MS has improved dramatically. Today, most people with MS can expect to live a near-normal lifespan.
On average, the life expectancy for someone with multiple sclerosis is about 5 to 10 years lower than for someone without the condition. However, this is just a statistic, and it’s important to understand the context. This gap has been steadily closing over the past few decades because of more effective treatments that can slow the disease’s progression and better management of symptoms.
Factors that can influence an individual’s life expectancy with MS include:
- The type of MS: Some forms of MS progress more rapidly than others.
- Severity of symptoms: The degree of disability can impact overall health.
- Access to care: Early diagnosis and consistent treatment with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are crucial.
- Overall health: Lifestyle choices like diet, exercise, and not smoking play a significant role.
It is also important to note that MS itself is rarely the direct cause of death. More often, complications related to chronic disability, such as severe infections (like pneumonia or bladder infections), can become life-threatening. This is why proactive symptom management and healthcare are so vital.
What Exactly is Multiple Sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. In an autoimmune condition, the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissues.
In MS, the immune system attacks the myelin sheath, the protective layer that insulates nerve fibers. When myelin is damaged, nerve signals are slowed down or blocked, leading to a wide range of unpredictable symptoms. Over time, this damage can become permanent.
Unpacking the Common Symptoms of MS
Because MS can affect any part of the central nervous system, its symptoms are varied and can differ greatly from person to person and from day to day. Some of the most common signs and symptoms include:
Vision Problems
Often one of the very first signs of MS, optic neuritis is an inflammation of the optic nerve. It can cause blurred vision, double vision, pain with eye movement, or a loss of color vision, typically in one eye.
Numbness and Tingling
A sensation of “pins and needles,” tingling, or complete numbness is very common. These feelings can occur in the face, arms, legs, or trunk of the body and can interfere with daily functions like walking or holding objects.
Fatigue
This isn’t just ordinary tiredness. MS fatigue is an overwhelming sense of exhaustion that can come on suddenly and is not necessarily related to the amount of activity performed. It is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms.
Muscle Spasms, Stiffness, and Weakness
Known as spasticity, muscle stiffness and involuntary spasms are common, especially in the legs. People with MS may also experience weakness in their limbs, which can affect their balance and coordination.
Difficulty with Balance and Coordination
Damage to nerve pathways that coordinate movement can lead to issues like dizziness, vertigo, and ataxia (trouble with coordinated movements). This can make walking feel unsteady.
Bladder and Bowel Issues
Bladder dysfunction, such as the need to urinate frequently or urgently, is very common. Some people may also experience constipation or loss of bowel control.
Cognitive Changes
Often referred to as “cog fog,” these challenges can affect memory, attention, information processing speed, and problem-solving skills.
Understanding the Different Types of MS
MS is generally categorized into four main types, based on how the disease progresses over time.
- Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS): This is a first episode of neurologic symptoms lasting at least 24 hours. A person with CIS may or may not go on to develop MS.
- Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS): This is the most common form, affecting about 85% of people at diagnosis. It involves clear attacks of new or worsening symptoms (relapses) followed by periods of partial or complete recovery (remissions).
- Secondary Progressive MS (SPMS): Over time, many people with RRMS will transition to SPMS. In this stage, the disease begins to progress more steadily, with or without relapses.
- Primary Progressive MS (PPMS): Affecting about 15% of people with MS, this type is characterized by a steady worsening of neurologic function from the very beginning, without distinct relapses or remissions.
Modern Approaches to Treating and Managing MS
While there is no cure for MS, there are more than 20 FDA-approved Disease-Modifying Therapies (DMTs) that are highly effective at managing the condition. These treatments work to reduce the number and severity of relapses, slow the progression of the disease, and limit new areas of damage in the brain and spinal cord.
Treatment for MS typically involves a three-part strategy:
- Treating relapses: High-dose corticosteroids are often used to reduce inflammation and shorten the duration of a relapse.
- Slowing disease progression: DMTs are the primary long-term treatment. They come in various forms, including self-injections, oral pills (like Tecfidera or Gilenya), and intravenous infusions (like Ocrevus or Tysabri).
- Managing symptoms: A comprehensive care team, including physical therapists, occupational therapists, and mental health professionals, helps manage specific symptoms like fatigue, spasticity, and depression to improve quality of life.
Living a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise, a balanced diet, and stress management techniques is also a cornerstone of feeling your best with MS.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MS a fatal disease? No, MS is not considered a fatal disease. Most people with MS live a long life. The risk comes from potential complications of the disease, such as infections, which is why ongoing medical care is so important.
Is MS contagious or hereditary? MS is not contagious. While it is not directly inherited, having a first-degree relative (like a parent or sibling) with MS does slightly increase your risk of developing the disease. This suggests that genetics play a role, but they are not the only factor.
What causes multiple sclerosis? The exact cause is still unknown. Scientists believe it is a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Potential triggers could include viral infections, low vitamin D levels, and smoking.